Peaceful
by NotebookPaper
Summary: The tables were set, and tomorrow they would start a new life. Together they would make it work, and they knew, somehow, that they would be happy.


Title: Peaceful

Author: NotebookPaper

Rating: K

Pairing: CloudxAerith, TifaxRufus (Because Demi Loves them), ZackxCissnei (Because it just sort of happened). CdxShera (Because I'll always love them)

Notes: This was actually a Christmas Present for my friend Demi, the same person I wrote my other Clerith piece for. She got the story on time, but I'm just posting this now for the sake of posting it.

I would like to warn, or remind, anyone who has read that other piece, that I am not really a Clerith supporter, but I'm not dead-set against it to the point I'd try to force my opinion on anyone. However, if this piece doesn't seem quite right to you in terms of character I'd appreciate it if you would keep that in mind.

AND! This was a gift to someone and thus tailored to their interest, so I was not really looking for mass appeal. Any odd quirks you find are probably personal between Demi and I. I love Demi. x3

The original working title I was going to use for this was "Domestic," but it didn't make the cut, according to a coin toss.

Disclaimer: I do not own Aerith or Tifa or Final Fantasy VII in general. If I did, well, this story still wouldn't happen. Love you, Demi!

* * *

They were done.

It had taken a long time, but at long last they were finished. Every corner now radiated a perfect blend of light and greenery. There was peace. No more areas of stagnant darkness. No smell of impending unhappiness. The tables were set, and tomorrow they would start a new life. Together they would make it work, and they knew, somehow, that they would be happy.

Aerith watched out the window as the sun started to set. Even when the sky was red these days it was undeniably beautiful. She'd been thinking that way a lot, lately. So much, maybe everything, was beautiful.

There was a clearing throat behind her and she looked back to stare into eyes that reflected her very thoughts. She accepted a cup of tea that was handed to her with a radiant smile. It was warm, and the staple flavor for the shop they were sitting in. A blossom infused draught. It would day view tomorrow, along with the shop itself. The red eyes she saw before her own green orbs closed as she sipped her tea were excited. It was the first official pot of the stuff, and Aerith and Tifa would share it before leaving tonight.

Because tomorrow they would be, hoped to be, too busy to sit until it was time to close the doors.

Aerith sighed after her first sips were down her throat, the colder air outside her mouth making the flavor spike. It tasted perfect.

"So we should make it just like that tomorrow, I think?" There was a pleasant jingle to Tifa's voice, and Aerith could tell she liked the reception for their first pot of Blossom Tea. She could feel her own eyes sparkling. She grinned wide, her teeth showing through her parted pink lips.

"Why don't you drink yours? I think you'll know the answer."

The two women shared a laugh and talked about nothing over their tea. They were both tired to the bone, but it was a good tired, and the tea soothed away any aches that came from putting up trellises, setting tables, painting walls, panning windows and anything that went into making a tea house gorgeous. Initially, the men they knew had tried to help, but the two women only let them carry boxes of supplies and handle any transporting. Aerith and Tifa did everything else on their own. It was a work of their own imagination. They loved it and it showed in every bright curtain.

"Is Cloud coming home from the delivery to Kalm tonight?" Tifa asked Aerith as they washed out their cups and wiped their plates dry. Tifa herself still lived on the top floor of the building, but Aerith had taken residence back at her mother's old house (The woman decided to settle in Kalm.).

"He had better. I wouldn't forgive him if he missed the Opening." Tifa giggled at her jovial tone and let the tips of her fingers drag affectionately over the backs of her shoulders as she walked to a towel to wipe her hands. "Yes, I'm sure he'll be there. Denzel misses him, though he won't say it, and Cloud won't keep him waiting long. Is Rufus going to be at the Opening as well?"

Tifa chuckled a little and nodded. "Zack and Reno told him this is where they're going to start getting their morning coffee from now on, so he may have to stick around and head to the office late tomorrow. Zack promised he and Cissnei would try the tea, though."

Aerith grinned again as she wiped her hands clean and they grabbed their coats on their way out.

"Tifa, are you sure it's not too far out of the way to walk me home then head back to the office to get Rufus?"

"No, of course not! We'll probably get sick of each other in the next few weeks, but I haven't been able to see you too often before I closed the bar. This is nice, especially at a time like this. He likes to work anyway."

Aerith linked arms with her friend and they talked about nothing on the way home. There was only scant traces of smog around the town of Edge these days, and a few children were still outside playing after the sun set. A few of them waved to the two women as they walked by. Almost everyone knew them for their exploits in the last few years and many were thankful. Someone's mother walked up to them and thanked them for finally shutting down the bar. Her husband wasn't a heavy drinker, but at least now he'd have to walk a little further to Johnny's in order to get any sort of alcohol. She promised to go to the shop in the morning. Aerith mentioned that they carried a Strawberry Danish her gorgeous little daughter would probably love and the woman looked pleased. They continued on, walking past Aerith's Church that she'd already visited that day.

"Do you think you'll miss the bar, Tifa?"

Tifa smiled at her, shaking her head.

"It's not a necessity anymore. It was a good cover and a good attraction to possible members in the past, but we don't need that now. Johnny's is enough for Edge and I like our tea house." Tifa was very proud of them, Aerith could tell.

As they walked into the shabbier parts of Midgar, Aerith could tell that Tifa still wondered why she chose to live here. She wasn't quite sure herself sometimes. Outwardly, it wasn't the best place for Denzel to grow up for all the effort that was put into at least clearing the streets. Like always, though, they came in sight of the quaint house that had somehow survived everything and Aerith knew she loved this place better than any. Tifa sighed relief she probably didn't realize she needed and unlinked their arms, turning to hug her green-eyed friend.

"Denzel and Marlene will probably be done playing soon. I'm glad this place isn't overrun with monsters anymore." Tifa gave an extra squeeze and let go. "Expect him home soon."

"Is Marlene going with you to get Rufus? She's welcome to come in for dinner if you guys need some alone time."

Tifa shook her head. "I wouldn't want you to have to cook for another mouth tonight. Go ahead and rest until Cloud gets home. We'll just have a normal night before tomorrow. Don't want you to overexert yourself."

"Good idea." Aerith gently squeezed Tifa's arm before they said their goodnights and she went inside.

She made a simple dinner for herself and Denzel – Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese – and sat down to start eating a little before the boy himself tumbled in, grinning and dirty. Aerith smiled at his exploits, and they had a pleasant dinner before they cleaned their quaint kitchen and went upstairs. Aerith got a call from Zack and Cissnei, telling her to get good rest before the next day because they had apparently told everyone they knew about the tea shop. They wished her luck and made her grin before they hung up.

She went to bed sometime later, finding it a little hard to sleep. She still made it.

However, it was one of those blessed times where it felt like she had been asleep for hours when only twenty minutes had passed when she woke up again. It was a gentle whisper of a voice she could hear as her birthright, telling her happiness was close, before a gentle touch to her abdomen roused her the rest of the way out of sleep.

"Hey." It was a deep voice, masculine but gentle, that tickled her ear.

She grinned, her eyes still closed, as Cloud settled in bed behind her, his sinuous arm overlapping hers though she was under the covers and he was still above.

"Welcome home."

"Glad to be home."

His nose was in her hair, and the feel of him inhaling made her smile a little wider and open her eyes so she could turn on her back and see him.

"I think you're back early. Everything go okay?" She felt a little guilty knowing Cloud had gone to Kalm and she hadn't gone to visit her mother. She just wanted to be assured nothing had happened in her absence.

"Yeah. It was an easy delivery."

"Did mom feed you?"

"Still full from the lunch she packed me for today."

Aerith giggled and kissed him silly. Cloud chuckled as well, his ungloved hand settling on the side of her face and moving into her thick hair. It was bliss, the way he treated her, especially when he'd been gone for a couple days. His attentions made her feel special, like the only woman in the world. She was happy. When she snuggled closer, however, she realized Cloud was still wearing his shoes.

She paused in kissing him, moving her foot under the covers to knock against his shoes. "Cloud."

"…Yeah?"

"Shoes? On my bed?"

"Huh. Looks that way, doesn't it?"

Aerith snorted at his comical tone and pushed him playfully away. "Uh-huh. You should fix that."

She pulled him back once more for a kiss before he left. He had actually just come up to see her before he unloaded all the stuff on his bike, took a shower and peeked in on Denzel. Aerith thought it was rather sweet how he still doted on the boy even though he was growing rather quickly. She thought it boded well for the future.

Aerith was in a half-asleep state for the majority of the time Cloud stealthily hustled around the house. Somewhere towards the end of his riffling she started to dose and was surprised when he slipped through the covers to lay with her, ready to sleep for the night as well.

"Everything ready for the Opening tomorrow?"

"Would you expect any less?"

"Of course not."

Aerith laughed drowsily and moved her hand over Cloud's, which had settled over her stomach, snuggling deeper into his warmth.

"Anything interesting happen today?"

"You mean you want to know if I strained myself, Cloud?"

"I know you wouldn't, but did you?"

She chuckled and elbowed him gently. "No, I didn't."

"Did you tell Tifa like you promised?"

"Yeah. She walked me home to make sure I didn't overexert myself." She felt Cloud nod behind her, and his hand slid over her tummy affectionately. "Are you going to act like this the whole time?"

"Shera eventually appreciated it, didn't she?"

"Shera and I are a little different. It was probably a breath of fresh air coming from Cid."

Cloud nuzzled behind her ear.

"Until the baby is born you have the option to tell me to shut up, alright?"

"I have that anyway. How about you wait for me to ask for you to dote on me?"

"You'd never ask."

"And you'd never have to dote on me. Then we're all happy."

"But I want to dote on you, Aerith."

"Hnm. Alright. Let me sleep. Be a good pillow and don't move once tonight, unless I tell you, or I'll take back your doting privileges."

He chuckled. "Fine."

Aerith got the feeling that if she was serious he'd probably do exactly what she said, but she wasn't serious and turned around in his arms to curl into his frame. "Good night," she said some minutes later when his arms tightened around her and then relaxed. "Make sure to wake me up in the morning if you get up first." She felt him nod into her hair and fell asleep soon after.

In the morning she tickled him gently awake until his blue eyes were open and gazing at her. Sometimes they snuggled a little longer, but today, after he seemed awake enough, she tumbled her way out of bed and took a shower, slipping into the serving uniform Tifa, Aerith and her mother had designed. When she came out, Cloud tugged at the bow on her back that held her apron snug, smiling appreciatively at her and the pinks and reds and whites that made up the outfit.

Denzel was downstairs already and walked with them out of Midgar and to the new Tea Shop in Edge. There were quite a few people there to greet her outside, but Tifa ushered her in before she could give anyone anymore than a "good morning."

* * *

The shop was a hit, and the affordable prices ensured that they thrived, though the service and the upstanding clientele probably had something to do with it as well (Reeve Tuesti of the WRO favored their peppermint tea and the first man in space was known to take his with three cubes of sugar and even some cinnamon during the holidays.).

Marlene became part of the staff a little before Aerith's baby-girl was born and Denzel was often a server when he needed a little extra cash. Overall it was a family business. Even the once-president knew how to make a good cup of tea.

Aerith's little girl became the official mascot of the tea-house for the majority of her first ten years, her lovely green eyes and blonde hair soft and bright at the same time. When her little sister was born she was quietly, intensely jealous of the fact that the girl had their father's eyes until the baby brunette took an interest in her sister's fair locks. She was a sweet big sister after that. Denzel guarded his "sisters" throughout their years, especially when Cid Highwind's boy took an interest during one of their reunions. Cloud observed this with amusement and a bit of approval. Aerith thought it was all very sweet.

This year the Tea House was closed for business and only friends and family occupied the halls. After Tifa had moved to the Healin Lodge with Rufus, an easy drive in their vehicles, the shop had been extended to the second floor. Now, decorated for the Holidays, Aerith couldn't help but be happy, especially when Cloud found the time to hug her from behind, and rest his cheek against hers.

"It's peaceful."

Aerith nodded an affirmative to Cloud's statement. "I couldn't, wouldn't, ask for more."


End file.
